A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION; THE PRINCIPLES OF THE METHODISTS, &c. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. New-York: PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. & J. HARPER, NO. 327 PEARL-STREET. CONTENTS OF VOLUME VIII. TRACTS. I. A Plain Account of Christian Perfection III. A Collection of Forms of Prayer for every Day in the VI. 1. A Word to a Sabbath Breaker 140 VIII. 3. A Word to r Drunkard 143 IX. 4. A Word to an unhappy Woman 6. A Word to a condemned Malefactor XII. 7. A Word in Season; or Advice to an Englishman 153 XIII. 8. A l'ord to a Protestant XI. . . XVI. Serious Thoughts, occasioned by the Earthquake at XVII. The Principles of a Methodist XVIII. An Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion 187 XIX. A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, XX. A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, XXI. A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, XXIII. The Principles of the Methodists farther explained, oc- casioned by Mr. Church's Second Letter to Mr. XXIV. A Letter to the Bishop of London, occasioned by his Lordship's Charge to the Clergy XXV. A Letter to an Irish Clergyman XXVI. A Letter to the Author of the Enthusiasm of Methodists XXVII. A Second Letter to the Author of the Enthusiasm of Methodists and Papists compared, introduced by a Letter to the Bishop of Exeter XXVIII. A Second Letter to the Bishop of Exeter, in Answer to XXIX. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Potter, in Answer to his Ser- mon, “ On the pretended Inspiration of the Metho- XXX. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Free, in Answer to his late XXXI. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Downes, occasioned by his late Tract, entitled “Methodism examined and ex- XXXII. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Horne, occasioned by his Sermon preached before the University of Oxford 538 XXXIII. · Remarks on Dr. Erskine's Defence of the Preface to the Edinburgh Edition of Aspasio Vindicated 543 XXXIV. A Letter to Dr. Erskine XXXV. A Letter to the Rev. Dr Rutherforih, in Answer to his Charges against the Methodists MISCELLANEOUS WORKS. A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION ; As beliered and taught by John Wesley, A. M. from the year 1725. to the year 1777. 1. WHAT I purpose in the following pages is, to give a plain and distipct account of the steps, by which I was led, during a course of many years, to embrace the doctrine of Christian Perfection. This I owe to the serious part of mankind; those who desire to know all the truth as it is in Jesus. And these are only concerned in questions of this kind. To these I would nakedly declare the thing as it is, endeavouring all along to show, from one period to another, both what I thought, and why I thought so. 2. In the year 1725, being in the 23d year of my age, I met with Bishop Taylor's Rules and Exercises of Holy Living and Dying. In reading several parts of this book, I was exceedingly affected: that part in particular, which relates to purity of intention. Instantly I resolved to dedicate all my life to God; all my thoughts, and words, and actions; being thoroughly convinced, there was no medium, but that every part of my life, (not some part only) must either be a sacrifice to God, or to myself; that is, in effect, to the Devil. Can any serious person doubt of this, or find a medium between serving God, and serving the Devil ? 3. In the year 1729, I met with Kempis's Christian Pattern. The nature and extent of inward religion, the religion of the heart, now appeared to me in a stronger light than ever it had done before. I saw that giving even all my life to God, (supposing it possible to do this, and go no farther,) would profit me nothing, unless I gave my heart; yea, all my heart, to him. my heart, to him. I saw, that “simplicity of intention, and purity of affection," one design in all we speak or do, and one desire ruling all our tempers, are indeed “ the wings of the soul,” without which she can never ascend the mount of God. 4. A year or two after, Mr. Law's Christian Perfection, and VOL. 8.-B |
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